Why running still feels good when I'm pushing 65 lbs. up a steep hill
Okay, now back up to the day before Easter Sunday. I don't know what to call it- except Saturday. Mom calls it Spring Day and usually hosts an Egg hunt and lunch for friends and neighbors. Of all the things I inherited from her, I did not receive her hospitality gene-ious. So we kept it small. On Saturday morning the boys woke up to find the Easter bunny had come and left presents in their buckets. (Where can one find a non-girly Easter basket that isn't a puffy baseball with a handle?)
The frog, also a gift from Mom, was full of eggs.
Joshua's favorite part was the plastic bag and he cried for a while after I took it away. Here's a shot of Hannah licking her chops as she spies her favorite: chocolate.
During their afternoon nap I hid eggs in the backyard jungle. (I hadn't mowed in a really long time.) Caleb had fun finding the eggs but he was even more excited by the jingling coins held therein. The hunt took a while because he kept stopping, opening an egg and exclaiming, "Look! Moneys! I put 'em my bank!" After the hunt we got the bank and made a deposit.
Ingredients:
1 Woman in husband's unit that you haven't met before
2 hour playdate at her house
2 toddlers
2 babies
7 ml Amoxicillin (antibiotic for ear infection)
1/2 bag cranberries (eaten in under 1 minute)
30 seconds of potty time (instead of requisite 3 minutes), an hour before playdate
A dash of laziness (let him stand up and pee instead of making him sit)
A sprinkle of forgetfulness (that he didn't have his usual time on the pot)
Directions:
Add all of the ingredients into a bowl and wait approximately one hour. It's important to have the potty training conversation early in the visit so that she will know that Caleb is indeed trained, even though he still has pee accidents every once and a while. Play with your baby, help the toddlers get along and talk nicely as you get to know each other. When your new acquaintance points to a blob on her floor and asks, "What is that?" Say, "I have no idea." Grab your poopy baby boy and run out of the door.
Okay I didn't run out, but I wanted to. Apparently the antibiotic makes some people have diarrhea. This would've been a good time for Caleb to wear training pants instead of undies. I had a change of clothes for Caleb and when we ended the visit, she invited us back over. But how horrible! I was the Mom with the poopy kid! Ew! Caleb seriously hasn't pooed his pants in a year, and then this. Thankfully the amoxicillin has lost it's sting and there've been no more issues. With all of my romantic ideas of motherhood, this is definitely not what I thought my life would look like. Oh well. Life goes on. Poop goes in the potty.
We had a long three week trip home. It was full of family, friends, and the flu.
After Columbia we drove to Fayetteville, where we reunited with 102 friends. It was so fun to see everyone, but hard to fit everyone in and manage the boys by myself in someone else's home. On top of all that, Joshua caught a bit of the flu while we were there. From the sounds of Paula's post, I think everyone got a piece of that virus. On Thursday we went to the children's museum downtown. Just 4 moms, but 8 kids. We've grown since we were all friends in Schweinfurt, when there were just 2 kids. From the left, that's Joshua in the stroller, then Anna with her Mama, Marie, Asher with his Mama, Nicole, my Caleb, Nicole's Celeste and Olivia, then the Scott family unit - Emma, Paula, and Ethan. We had a great time playing with all of the toys- especially the miniature grocery.
Here's Celeste waiting patiently while Emma rings her up at the cash register.
We visited Lindsey and baby John the next day. John has a very sweet, gentle way about him, just like Lindsey. Nothing like his dad. Unfortunately, we brought more than hugs with us. Poor John had his big 1st birthday the day after our visit and managed to throw up in the middle of it. Sorry little buddy.
We visited the Hadleys, too. It's so fun to see friends grow into Mamas. Kimmy is doing a great job with little Jessie, who is just stunningly pretty with huge round eyes. You'll have to take my word for it, because I held sick Joshua the whole time and couldn't get my third arm attached in time to take some photos.
Thanks to the Mikkelsons who graciously hosted us, and to Marie who fed us. I love having such great friends, but I hate having to squeeze everyone into such a short visit. If anyone has vacation aspirations for the Grand Ole Opry or the horse races in Kentucky, let me know. I'll fix up our luxurious guest suite/futon for you.
Read more...I have a lot of photos to share from our recent 3 week trip to Georgia and North Carolina, but I had to share this one first. Joshua loves hair. He loves to grab it, mostly. I think he has wet rubber bands for hands, because that's what it feels like when you're trying to untangle a particularly small, sensitive lock from his prying fingers.
Here, my sister Katie gets the worst of it. At least someone is having fun.Of course this is Kristen's Blog, but since I know her passwords and she keeps asking me for photos, I figured I'd make a quick post. Today I received not one, but two parcels of cookies from my favorite Girl Scouts, Jenny and Megan Wood. Kristen's grandparents thoughtfully ordered them and I think I'm supposed to give them to the men here. Well, they'll have to get past the caramel moat I dug outside newly-constructed Fort Thin Mints if they think I'm sharing. 
Obviously no one took into account my lack of self control and I finally realized why my mother would only order a few boxes when I was younger.
Things here are going well and when I'm not building castles in my room, I find time to do work. Thank you to all the folks that keep sending me mail and packages, especially Mom, the Chandlers, the Woods, the Palmers, Laura, and Lasater's Coffee in Clarksville. The letters and food are great and I appreciate you taking the time to think of me. I'm more than halfway done here and I'm looking forward to cold chilling in Charleston with the family over the 4th of July. Until then, I'll be in the gym doing some curls for my girl so I'm ready for bikini season.My friend Paula tagged me to fill this out. It's a bunch of stuff you always wanted to know about me, except my most embarassing moment. You'll have to wait until the next playground game of Truth or Dare for that. Paula asked where the name Meme came from, suggesting it was of French etymology. I think the name comes from its subject: MeMe.
1. Were you named after anyone? No, my parents wanted my older sister to be able to call me baby Kris (Chris) while I was in utero.
2. When was the last time you cried? When Joshua threw up on me while Caleb dumped cheerios and milk on the floor. We were guests in a friend's house, to boot.
3. Do you like your handwriting? No. It was my worst mark in grade school, too. Needs improvement.
4. What is your favourite lunch meat? Cajun turkey
5. Do you have kids? Kids. Babies. Caleb is 2. Joshua is 7 months.
6. If you were another person would you be friends with you? I hope so.
7. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Too much.
8. Do you still have your tonsils? Yes.
9. Would you bungee jump? If it were free.
10. What is your favourite cereal? Plain cheerios
11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Nope, too lazy.
12. Do you think you are strong? Physically- I've got strong legs. I'm strong enough to lean on the Lord for everything else.
13. What is your favorite ice cream? I don't think it exists, but it would be something with chocolate chunks, peanut butter, caramel swirl and cheesecake.
14. What is the first thing you notice about people? Their eyes, or maybe their posture.
15. Red or pink? Red
16. What is the thing that you like least about yourself? I am awkward in conversations.
17. Who do you miss the most? Kevin, always Kevin.
19. What color pants and shoes are you wearing? Black pants and red patent leather heels.
20. Have you ever re-gifted? Oh yeah.
21. What are you listening to right now? NPR, what else?
22. If you were a crayon what color would you be? Gray
23. Favorite smells? My baby's head (my mother in law tuned me into that precious, fleeting smell), gardenias, hazelnut coffee
24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? My far away husband.
25. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Very much. She is inspiring and makes me think
26. Favorite sports to watch? Um. Sports? Watch?
30. Favorite food? Anything with curry.
31. Scary movies or happy endings? Happy endings.
32. Last movie you watched? At the theater- Charlie Wilson's War, At home- Elizabeth
33. What color shirt are you wearing? One with black and white wide stripes
34. Summer or winter? Winter in Germany. Summer now that I have kids.
35. Hugs or kisses? Kisses from Kevin. Hugs from everyone else.
36. Favorite dessert? Quality cheesecake. Not grocery store stuff.
37. What book are you reading now? The American Woman's Home by Catharine Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe
38. What is on your mousepad? Don't have one
39. What did you watch on tv last night? I don't have our tv hooked up.
40. Favorite sound? A train.
41. Rolling stones or Beatles? Beatles. Although I'd be more comfortable with a choice of 90's bands.
42. What is the furthest you have been from home? Mauritius (It's a little island country off the coast of Madagascar.)
43. Do you have a special talent? Special? I can make a photograph. But now, thanks to digicams, so can everyone. Is it a talent if you studied it in college for 4 years? I think that's called a skill.
44. Where were you born? Clarksville, Tennessee. Same place I live now.
To pass on the getting to know you vibe, I tag Laura, Kristin, and Joni.
I've been away from home for a week and a half now, and Mom doesn't have a card reader on her computer, so pictures are hard to download. That's my excuse for not having posted recently. We drove to Augusta to stay with my parents. We've visited my sister in Columbia a couple of times and we went up to Fayetteville to see some old friends. I'm a little road-weary now and glad to be staying in one place for more than 2 days. More pictures and fun stories to come.
Before we left, we celebrated Caleb's 2nd birthday with one of his friends in Ft. Campbell, Ellie.
Neither Caleb nor Ellie was very good at this game, but they both wanted the mallet. I think Caleb is getting sick of hearing, "Sharing is fun!"
On Caleb's actual birthday, it was raining in Augusta and we went to Monkey Joe's - an indoor playground with inflatables. He loved jump- jumping, and he chased the guy dressed up like a monkey around until he got a high-five from the ape.
I wouldn't call my mom prissy by any means, but having all grandsons is kind of funny. The woman just wants to buy a pretty little dress, for goodness sake. After four daughters, learning to spend time with boys means a lot more ball-playing and a lot less mall time. And these boys are still babes, wait till they are big enough to protest all that shopping. That's what Grandpas are for, right? But she looks like she's having fun with Joshua, Caleb, Knox, and Ashton.
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